


Autumn in Fall, Dan in Spring

by dannihowell (iguessicantry)



Category: Gilmore Girls, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 14:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7622878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguessicantry/pseuds/dannihowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan’s a single father. His daughter, Autumn, has a new teacher named Phil. A romance blossoms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Autumn in Fall, Dan in Spring

# Autumn

“Dad, wake up!”

He groans at me and swats my hand away as I shake him. Oh my god. Who is the parent here?

“No!” he says and rolls over.

“I’ll be late!”

“No, you won’t,” he refutes sleepily.

“It’s 7:15!”

“It can’t be,” he mutters.

“Yes, it is!”

“Autumn…”

“Dad! I can’t be late on the first day at a private school!” I plead with him to get up. We have thirty minutes and sleeping beauty, aka my father, takes a good 30 minutes just to sort out his hair. “They’ll never forget it!”

“So dramatic,” he mumbles. Dad suddenly sits up and blinks. He looks at me and his eyes widen. “Wait. What time is it?”

“7:16!”

“Okay. We have to be quick.” He jumps out of bed and rushes around the room. I’m already dressed and just roll my eyes. I cannot believe he didn’t get up on time.

“Why are you just standing there? Get out and get something to eat before we leave!”

—-

“Where are we heading?” Dad asks as we walk around the grounds of the unfamiliar campus.

“Uh… Ayden Hall?”

“Where is that?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

He shrugs and looks around helplessly. Someone must have noticed how incredibly awkward we looked just standing around on the pavement while everyone else went about their business. Before I can turn around, I hear a woman’s voice greeting us.

“Hello! May I help you?”

“Yes, please” he says. I watch her flip her long blonde hair over her shoulder and smile wide at him. She’s obviously posh. Her teeth are perfect, she wears some odious perfume and a large diamond ring that fucking blinds me in the morning sun.

“Are you new? You must be going to the headmistress’ office. That’s in Ayden Hall, right over there. I’ll walk you over.”

Dan smiles and I roll my eyes.

“I am Emily Charleston. You are…?”

“Dan. Umm—Dan Howell. Nice to meet you.”

“My pleasure,” she replies as we walk. She keeps her gaze with my dad and I can’t help but smirk. This happens all the time. Just one of the benefits of having a quote, ‘hot’ parent. Sigh.  I should be used to this. It’s always been just the two of us and for as long as I can remember, Dad always got attention. I actually remember being five years old and having women compliment me just so they could talk to him. He always brushed them off though. I guess he never got over my mum.

“So… Are you being a good older brother and seeing your sister off to school?” she queries. Dad laughs and shakes his head.

“No. Autumn is my daughter.”

“Hi!” I smile and watch her eyes as she quickly adjusts to the news.

“Oh!” she exclaims. “Let me be the first to welcome you to Gilmore Academy. I teach English and Literature.”

“Fascinating,” Dad says. “You’re so young. I would never believe you were a teacher at such a prestigious school.”

“I’m not as young as you think,” she grins, leading the way into the building that looks for more ostentatious than it did in the brochure.

Dad puts his arm around my shoulder and smiles down as me. He whispers, “She might be your teacher. I want you to get an A this term.”

He is always looking out for me. “Thanks,” I laugh.

With my blue plaid skirt and navy tie in place, I’m ready to start at this school. I was lucky enough to get a scholarship and when Dad found out I was accepted, he was beyond thrilled. We’re not rich or posh like the people who go here but he’s trying his hardest to make sure I fit in, hence the shameless flirting with a teacher.

Professor Charleston helps us find the office and when it’s time for Dad to go, she waits to help him find his way. He winks at me before he turns around but not before giving me one last good luck hug. “See you this afternoon, alright?”

“Alright,” I smile.

I can’t help but wonder if I’ll get a new mother out of this. God, she’s persistent.

—-

It’s been a few weeks and suffice it to say, school is not going well. The workload is far more than I expected for this age group. I mean we read three novels a week in just Literature alone! Then English is a whole other class. I hadn’t known that was possible. God help me.

I’m doing really well in Art and Theatre but the rest of the day, I’m lost. It’s Parent’s Day today and everyone’s mums and dads stay the entire day to meet our teachers and see what the school day is like.

The last class before lunch is Literature with Professor Lester. He’s a nice man, pleasant and pretty silly considering his status in the school. The class is hard but he knows what he’s talking about and he makes it interesting. Not to mention, he’s pretty good looking but that’s not why I go to his class and sit up front and ask loads of questions. No, that’s not why. I’m just a good student. That’s all.

All morning long, I’ve had my classmates asking me if I brought some guy that wasn’t my dad with me. I just had to smile and say, “No. He was sixteen when I was born.”

“She’s lying,” he cuts in. “I’m her brother. I’m only 25. I can’t believe you would tell lies on me, Autumn. I’ll tell mum about this.”

“ _Dad_ ,” I whine.

“I’m only joking.”

Everyone laughs and it’s good to know he’s such a big hit. All the other parents are so… ugh. They look perpetually angry, aged and distant, stuck in their world of high finance, high tea and cocktails.

“Let’s begin!” I hear Professor Lester say from the front of the class. “First, I would like to welcome you all to my class. I am Professor Philip Lester and this is a Literature course that not only prepares your children for GCSE’s but future A-Levels as well. My main objective is to get them to think freely and then they will be able to do just about anything…”

He goes on and starts his lesson. When I reach into my bag to get Brave New World, the novel we’re currently reading, I see Dad staring at the front of the class. He hasn’t been this attentive all morning. Usually, he gets bored after only ten minutes and starts fidgeting and whispering how much he cannot believe I put up with this five times a week. But in Professor Lester’s class, he’s perfectly fine hearing about the connections to Eugenics and Nazi Germany.

When the hour is almost over, Dad raises his hand to ask a question and everyone just turns to me as if to say, “This isn’t normal.”

“Dad,” I whisper.

“I would like to know more about Huxley’s view on religion.”

“Maybe we can talk for a bit after class. The lunch hour is next.” Professor Lester smiles kindly. Dad sits back in his chair and says, “What?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Since this is the last class of the week, I will remind you all to turn in your assignments electronically through the database. Do not try to cheat. That is why we use it in the first place.”

The mumbling and grumbling soon dissipates and we all pack up to leave. Dad leaves me at my desk to talk to my teacher. God, I hope he doesn’t say anything embarrassing. He has a tendency to take out baby pictures. I didn’t know he had them on his phone until I wanted to go out on a date. He starts talking to him and before I know it, Jimmy knows I had a horrible rash on my bum at 9 months old. Jesus fucking Christ…

# Dan

I wait until everyone leaves to talk to him. I forget where I am when he calls me over and sits gingerly on the edge of his desk. I feel like I’m in school again but _not_ at the same time. These feelings aren’t exactly wrong. We’re both adults and he’s absolutely gorgeous. I can’t figure out how anyone can pay attention but that’s not his fault, is it?

“Hello, I’m Dan Howell.”

“Yes, you’re Autumn’s Father?”

“Yes. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” There’s a slight Northern twang to his voice, something easy to pick up when you’re from the South like me. It’s odd and strangely comforting. “So you wanted to talk about the novel?”

“Yes… and no.”

“No? Then what did you want to talk about?”

“Dad, I’m really hungry,” Autumn announces before I can answer. “Can you find the lunch room alright?”

“I’ll show him myself,” the teacher says with nod and smile.

“Okay. See you in a bit, Dad.”

He stands up and moves around his desk, fixing books and papers. “What is it you wanted to talk about again?”

“Umm—Look, I-I was wondering if…”

“If?”

“If you liked coffee?”

“Coffee?”

“Yes, you know the little beans that they grind up, full of wonderful caffeine, makes the world go round…”

“Coffee?”

“For a professor of literature, you don’t know English every well.”

“It’s just that I’m confused. Yes, I like coffee,” he chuckles.

“Good! Would you like to maybe sample some with me some time?”

“Like a date?”

“If you want to call it that. I just want to get to know you better.”

“Now, I’m really confused.”

“It’s fine. You don’t want to. That’s fine.”

“I do! It’s a little bit tricky. You’re a parent,” he explains.

“And you’re a teacher,” I retort with a laugh.

“Your daughter is one of my students. Don’t you see what’s wrong with that?”

“There’s nothing wrong with getting a beverage with someone whom you find attractive and is the appropriate age and everything.”

“You think I’m attractive?”

“Fine!” I groan jokingly. “I think you’re attractive but _you_ put the words in my mouth.” He laughs and his fringe falls into his eyes, covering the beautiful blue.

“Okay, Dan. I like coffee and I like it on Saturdays around two in the afternoon at the Starbucks on the corner.”

“Perfect.”

—-

# Autumn

“You’re doing what?!”

“I’m going on a date.”

“With my teacher?”

“Yes. He agreed to it. I’m not forcing him.”

“That’s not the point! You’re gay?”

“Not exactly, Love. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

This entire thing is throwing me off. Did my dad just come out to me? How did I now notice this before? I guess it didn’t matter before. I really need to sit down.

“How does this look,” he asks me, putting on his leather jacket.

“That’s a lot of black, Dad.”

“It’s my style. Do you think it’ll scare him off?”

“Dad! I cannot believe this happening.”

“Why are you freaking out?”

“You just told me you’re going on a date with my _male_ teacher. Do you not see why this is freaking me out a bit?”

“Are you uncomfortable with gay people? I didn’t think I had raised you that way.”

“No, Dad! It’s not because of what you are. It’s because this is the first time I heard about this.”

“It didn’t really come up before. Come on and sit down,” he tells me. He sits me down on his bed and looks me straight in the eye. “I didn’t want to date for a long time. After you were born, I just wanted to focus on you. You are everything and I wanted to give you everything. Your mum left us and I was heartbroken and you needed me to be both mum and dad. I just didn’t want to bring anyone into this life I built for us. I don’t like labels. Attraction and sexuality are all so confusing.”

“So you aren’t gay?”

“Autumn…”

“I get it. I get it. Can we talk about my teacher?”

“He’s handsome.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I promise this will not affect your schooling. I won’t let it.”

“What happens if you break up before the end of term?”

“We aren’t even dating. We’ll worry about that later.”

“I hope you’re taking him somewhere nice.”

Dad smiles and goes to the mirror to fix his hair for the fifth time since straightening it. He looks at the clock on his bedside table and says, “Time to go!”

“Don’t do anything I’m not allowed to do!”

“Well that’s no fun!”

“Eww, Dad!”

—-

# Dan

When I find him sitting across the room, it takes everything in me not to bolt and just forget about this entire thing. He would be the first guy I actively pursued in almost ten years. I did tell a white lie earlier. I was dating when Autumn was four but she doesn’t remember because I never brought him home. I was twenty and well, he wasn’t ready for an instant family. I was still on the rebound after her mother left me, alone with a little baby girl and three sentence note. I’ll never forget it, as it said, “I won’t give up my dreams. I can’t stay. I love you both.”

I hope it all worked out for her. Really, I do.

Phil waves at me and I wave back as I walk over and take the seat across from him. He already has his coffee and he was reading the paper. I can imagine him doing the same on pleasant Saturday mornings and me entering the kitchen, tousling his hair and giving him a kiss as I went about fixing breakfast for us both. Okay, I just really think he’s great.

“Hi,” I say nervously, internally kicking myself. He’s so self-assured and brilliant. I just barely finished high school.

“Hello,” he greets me with a perfect smile.

“Hi.”

“You already said that.”

“I know.”

“Are you nervous, Dan?”

“You could tell?”

“You’re shaking the table with your leg,” he laughs lightly. The sound is perfection and I find myself calming at the notes of his laughter.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, only a few minutes.”

“Good. I didn’t want to be late.”

“No worries, Dan. I won’t give you detention.”

“What?” I gasp. “You’re joking. Oh, you’re just joking.”

He laughs at me some more and we spend the rest of the afternoon talking about work and Phil’s travelling and my obsession with dystopian novels. It was nice. Really really nice.

Later that afternoon, as we walk through the small city, we start talking about old relationships and where this one is possibly going.

“Can I ask you something, Dan?”

“Yeah sure. You know everything else about me already.”

“I’m glad,” he laughs. “How did you– Where is– You’re Autumn’s father?”

“Yes.”

“Her real father?”

“Yes, I am.”

“What happened to her mother?”

“Emma is gone. When Autumn was about five months old, Emma left her at my mum’s place and she never came back.”

“She just left?”

“Yeah. I thought we we’re doing okay. After the baby was born, we stayed together but I guess she didn’t like settling down at sixteen and having to give up her dreams. She wanted to be a writer.”

“I see that in Autumn. She’s an amazing writer from what I can see and her doodles are incredible.”

“She’s so talented. She must have gotten that from Emma. I could never do what she does. She’s a pretty good kid.”

“Yes, she is.”

# Autumn

“How was it?” I ask from the couch.

“Good. We’re going out again sometime next week.”

“Just good?” I inquire. “That smile says more than just good.”

“Okay, he’s amazing and cute and I’m so excited.”

“Dad, you’re like a teenage girl!”

“Thank god I’m not. He would have given me detention.”

“You’re already roleplaying? Ugh, disgusting.”

“Oh hush.”

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“You look happy.”

 "I am.“

# Dan

“I’m here for the parent-teacher conference,” I say as I knock on the door of the familiar classroom.

“Come in,” I hear. “Oh! Hi, Dan.”

“Hey, Phil.”

“Let’s get started, shall we?”

I sit down in the chair pulled up to the front of his desk and he starts by pulling out a report covering the last term. We’ve been dating for three months already. He keeps it professional at first, discussing Autumn’s marks, her achievements and room for improvement but he smells like cologne and coffee. His voice is deep and his five o’clock shadow is present even though it’s only a quarter to four. Phil looks so professional, in command and so sweet as he smiles and laughs at his own jokes. I lean in for a kiss, rising from the chair I’m sat in and pulling him over his desk. It’s a bit awkward but his mouth opens up to mine and just fits _so_ perfectly with mine.

I pull away first when I hear the door creak open. A girl in the iconic blue plaid skirt stands in the doorway with gaping eyes. Oh shit.

# Autumn

“I can’t believe you!” I shout when I get into our car. Dad’s sitting there looking at me like he has no clue what he’s done. “They’re all talking about it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sorry won’t stop all the rumors. Apparently, the only reason I got high marks on my project in the hardest class is because my dad is sleeping with the teacher!”

“Excuse me?”

“Why were you kissing in school?”

“We didn’t mean to. It just happened.”

“Oh my god. They’ll never let me forget this.”

“I’ll break up with him,” Dad proposes.

“No. Don’t do that. You really like him.”

“Well, I need to do something. I’ve completely screwed up.”

“It’s okay. We’ll just have to live with this. I’ll just have to get over it.”

“Are you sure because I can call this whole thing off if it is going to cause trouble. I don’t want the others to give you a hard time. School is tough as it is.”

“You don’t have to. I’ve never seen you this happy before. It’s worth it.”

“Okay. But if anything else happens, I’m not going any further with this. You come first.”

# Dan

“Phil! It tickles!” I giggle. He has his fingers dancing along my ribs and I can’t even breathe from laughing too much.

“Next time just admit that I’m right.”

“Never!”

He starts tickling me again but I distract him with a kiss. “It’s our six month anniversary on Saturday,” he informs me.

“Yeah, I know.”

“What do you say to a nice dinner?”

“I promised to spend some time with Autumn. Everything has been so hectic lately.”

“How about you both come over and we’ll make something together.”

“All three of us?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

***

# Autumn

This is so incredibly weird. Phil (he says I should call him Phil outside of school) is cooking in an apron that says ‘kiss the chef’. Dad’s standing by the island in the center of the kitchen, smiling and laughing more than I had ever seen.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Phil asks me as he takes out some lettuce and avocado.

“No, thank you.”

“Are you sure, Autumn?” Dad says. “You’ve been very quiet seen we got here.”

“I don’t have much to say.”

“It’s still a little weird isn’t it?” Phil questions.

“Yeah. I never realized teachers leave their classrooms after school… much less did _this_.”

“What? You didn’t think we cooked and wore skinny jeans?”

“No. I didn’t think you dated and _stuff_ …”

Phil chuckles along with Dad and they share a look. “I want you to feel at home. I want the both of you to feel at home here.”

“Believe me. I do,” Dad says.

“Dinner’s almost ready. Fajitas anyone?”

“Yum!” I exclaim. Maybe this isn’t so weird. I take the bowls of food to the table and when I turn around to get that drink he offered, I see Phil (still getting used to that) and Dad with their faces close and noses touching. They have to be kissing. I can’t see but I know they’re kissing and what’s really weird is… It’s not that weird anymore.

# Dan

“We’ve been together for a year now and it’s been the best year of my life. I love you so much, Dan. Will you marry me?”

“Uh…”

“I love you,” Phil says. He’s kneeling next to my seat. The candles from our romantic dinner in his house flicker a bit and the room has suddenly lost air.

“I love you too,” I admit. “But–,”

“But what?” He looks hurt. Oh no. Why does he have to make that face? I can’t breathe.

“I-I…”

“You don’t love me. I asked you to marry me and you don’t love me.”

“I do! But–,”

# Autumn

Dad went to Phil’s house earlier tonight for a date and when I wake up at 3 am for a drink of water and walk into the living room I find him crying. The room is dark but the light from the television reflects the tear drops on his cheeks.

“Daddy?”

“Oh!” He straightens up in his seat. “I thought you were sleeping. You okay?”

“Yeah,” I answer barely above a whisper. “Are you? Are you crying?”

“No,” he refutes. He tries to sly wipe his tears away and it’s so pathetic and so fucking sad.

“Oh Daddy, what happened?” I ask, taking a seat next to him on the sofa. I reach to wipe his tears away and he lets me.

“We broke up.”

“What? Why?”

“He asked me to marry him.”

“Oh my god.”

“Yeah.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. I couldn’t answer.”

“Dad, you love him. Why didn’t you say anything?”

He runs his finger through his hair and shuffles. He looks down at his fingers, clenching his fists like he does when he’s nervous or upset.

“Dad?”

“I was scared. What if he—what if…”

“What if what? Daddy, what’s keeping you from marry the man you love, the man who makes you happy?”

“Y-Your mum. When she left, it was the hardest thing for me to get through. I shouldn’t be telling you all this–,”

“Hey. You can tell me about this. You shouldn’t be alone right now. I’m fifteen. I can handle it.”

“All grown up, are you?”

“Yeah. And I know that you should think about this. Do you really think Phil would leave you? You’ve been together for a long time now. He knows everything about you and he still invites you over every chance he gets,” I joke.

Dan laughs but his voice breaks when he starts talking again. “S-She did too.”

“Mum was young and I didn’t know her but I know everybody is different. Maybe the pressure was too much, you know? Things are different now.”

“I know but–,”

“But what, Dad? You love him, right?”

“I love him so much.”

“Call him and tell him you’re going to marry him. You do want to marry him?”

“I do. I do!”

“Save it for your wedding day.”

Dad pulls me in for a hug and kisses my face all over.

“You’re so smart. Must take after me,” he murmurs.

“Shut up, Dad.”

“Love you, Autumn.”

“Love you too.”

# Dan

“With this ring I thee wed,” he repeats. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment.” He’s standing there in front of me in a brilliant black tux. God, he looks perfect. He smiles at me and I blush. Oh! It’s my turn.

“W-With this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment.” I slide the ring on his left ring finger but I don’t let go of his hand.

The official leading the small ceremony at this court house says, “May you both live long and in prosperity. It is my honor to now present the Lester-Howells. You may now seal your union with a kiss.”

Phil leans into me and I close the gap happily. I still have my hand in his and he squeezes it gently while we kiss. When we break apart, his cheeks are bright red. “Ready Mr. Lester-Howell?” I ask, taking his arm. He smiles and says, “Whenever you are.”

Autumn’s crying. Jesus Christ, now she has me going. We walk to her together in the small hall and give her a tight group hug. “Congratulations Daddy, Phil.”

“Thanks, love.”

# Autumn

“You want to be my father?” I ask.

“Yes,” Phil answers.

“It’s all for the best. In case anything happens to me, he’ll be able to take care of you and no one will take you away from your home.”

“If something happens? Dad, are you sick?” I panic. Why is this even necessary?

“No! No, I’m not. It’s just a precautionary measure. And we’re thinking of adopting. It’d be nice if all you kids had the same name and same parents.”

“Oh my god! Dad! I want a little brother!”

“Wait,” he laughs. “Wait just a minute. So you’re okay with Phil adopting you?”

“Yes!” I practically squeal. I go around the counter to hug him. “He’s a great father and any kid would be lucky to have him as their parent.”

“Wow. Thank you,” Phil tells me.

“So will this change my name?”

“If you want.” Dad smiles at us both and Phil’s glowing with pride. “I’m sure you don’t have to.”

“No, I want to.”

“Then at school,” Phil begins. “I’ll start calling you Autumn Lester-Howell.”

“Perfect!”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr  
> [danni-howell](https://danni-howell.tumblr.com/)


End file.
